Heat ray reflecting means, etc.



p. c. EPEE-'FERv HEAT RAY REFLECTING MEANS, ETC

July s, 1958' 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 9, 1956 f f M INVENTQR ATTQRNEY HEAT RAY REFLECTING MEANS, ETC

July 8, 1958 PFEIFFER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 9, 1956 INVENTOR Daw' 0. Pfeiffer ATTORNEY-3 United States Patent O HEAT RAY REFLECTING MEANS, ETC.

David C. Pfeiffer, Dallas, Tex.

Application March 9, 1956, Serial No. 570,570

Claims. (Cl. 160-369) My invention relates to air cooled condensers for airV conditioning apparatus and other purposes, and it deals particularly with means for protecting such condensers and/or adjacent parts from direct Contact with sun or other heat rays.

Although the invention is applicable to air cooled condensers generally for building air conditioning apparatus and other purposes, it has particularly reference to the sO-called room coolers or window type of air conditioner unit. Hence, application of the invention to such a unit has been chosen for purpose of illustration herein. It is to be noted, however, that many present day air conditioner installations involve remotely located air cooled condensers which are exposed to sun rays.

It is, of course, a well known fact that the sun rayproduced heat tc which the condenser is subjectedy is a major factor in the total refrigeration load to which an air conditioner is subjected. Thus, various protective hoods and shutters have beenk devised to protect the condenser and adjacent metal parts against sun rays. But such expedients While eective enough for sun ray protection purposes, are objectionable in that condenser eiciency is reduced because they materially interfere with normal air circulation to and from the air cooled condenser. Also, the prior art suggestions are expensive and cannot be readily applied to existing condenser units.

Therefore, the primary object of my invention to overcome the objections aforenoted and to provide novel, improved and inexpensive sun ray reliecting means which can be readily applied by anyone to all types of condenser-incorporating units and which will not interfere with normal air circulation through the air cooled condenser.

More specifically stated, the invention contemplates the use of sun ray reflecting means in the form of a preferably metal screen-like sheet-form material made up of minute, xedly spaced and substantially parallel panels which latter will preferably extend in a generally horizontal plane when applied to sun ray-exposed condenser areas, there being a novel carrier frame for such screenlike material and means for detachably securing such frame to a condenser unit or to the condenser end of a window type air conditioner. y

The invention also resides in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of the various parts of the now preferred form of the attachment which is shown in the accompanying drawings. However, it is to be understood that the drawing disclosures are to be considered as illustrative rather than limitative since it will be obvious to those versed in the art that the invention is susceptible of other mechanical expressions within the spirit and scope of the subject matter claimed hereinafter.

In the drawing, wherein the same reference characters have been used to designate the same parts throughout the several views,

Fig. l is a perspective view, largely diagrammatic, of a window type air conditioner unit showing the applica- 2,842,199 Patented July 8, 1958 gce 4 tion of my sun ray reflector to the condenser containing end thereof;

Fig. 2 is a central vertical sectional view through the i ray reecting window screen-simulating material which is employed;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a modied form of the invention applied to the condenser end of an air conditioning unit which latter is shown in rdotted lines; and

Fig. 7 is a broken perspective View of bracket-incorporating clamp bar which is employed in the form of the invention shown in Fig. 6.

` Referring to the drawings by reference characters, and

tur-ning to Fig. l, numeral 10 indicates diagrammatically i a familiar window sill-supporting room cooler type of air conditioner unit. This unit 10 has the cool air circulating end 11 which projects into'the room, there being the cool air output openings12 and the air return openings 13. The usual outstanding mounting flange 14 is shown, and the outwardly projecting end 15 of the unit has, as usual, adjacent its rear wall the condenser coils (not shown). The condenser end 15 of the unit is supplied with outside air through the opposie side openings 15a while the condenser air discharge is through the usual openings (not shown) in the rear wall of casing portion 15. The condenser-occupied portion of the rear end 15 is shown in Fig. l as covered by my novel sun, or heat, ray-reflecting unit which is generally designated by reference character 16 and which will now be described.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, it will be seen that the sun, or heat, ray reecting unit 16 comprises the to-p plate 17 which constitutes the upper end of a frame which carries side and rear ray-reflecting walls 21, 21', respectively, of window screen-simulating material which will be described in detail hereinafter. y

Continuing as to the wall-carrying frame, Fig. 2 shows that the two rear corners thereof are delined by the depending plate carried angle bars 19`while the forward side frame members are stiff, flat metal strips 18. The lower ends of the frame members 18, 19 are welded or otherwise secured'to the upwardly extending flanges 20b of angle bars 20l which have the bottom flanges 20a extending laterally inward as indicated in Figs. 2 and 4.

It should here be noted that the bottom flanges 20a of the lower angle bars 20 have extensions 20c projecting forwardly beyond the frame members 18 and that such extensions 20c are arranged in opposition to the forward extension 7a of the frame top providing plate 17. These plate and ange extensions have inherent flexibility, and underlie the clamp means shown in Figs. l and 2 which will be referred to hereinafter.

The screen form sun, or heat, ray deflecting sheetform walls 21, 21a are formed of window screen simulating material as shown in the Fig. 5 view, which view is drawn to enlarged scale to illustrate the flat sided substantially horizontal louvre-like members 2lb which are xedly secured in parallel relationship by twisted vertical strands 21e. The material will preferably be of bronze or other metal, but may be of other material.

As illustrated in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the ray reecting side walls 21 have their marginal portions welded as at 21a to the adjacent surfaces of frame members 18, 20, 19 and to the under surface of the top plate 16 of the frame.

The rear ray-reflecting wall or panel 21 as indicated in Figs. l and 2, has its margins clamped between the walls 22a of a frame 22 which is U-shaped in cross-section, as shown in Figs.l 2 and 3. This framed (22) rear ray-deilecting Wall 21' is hinged as at 23 to the top plate 16 of the main frame for outward swinging movement, the hinge leaves 23a, 23a being secured as at 24 to the top .plate 16 and to the frame 22 as illustrated in Eig. 2. L

The reason for hingedly supporting the framed rear ray-reflecting wall 21 for vertical outward swinging movement is to make it more effective under different service conditions. Thus, if the air `conditioningjunit is located with the condenser end exposed to the south, the rear ray-reflecting wall 21 will be more effective if it is in a vertical position. On the other hand, if the exposure is west, said ray-reflecting wall 21 willbe more effective if it is swung outwardly and retained,'at say an angle of 30 from the perpendicular.

To maintain the framed (22) rear ray-reflecting wall 21 at apredetermined outwardly swung angle, I provide at at least one lower end of the carrier frame 22 the` position control bar 29 which is pivoted to swingable frame 22, as indicated at 28. This position control bar 29 has a longitudinally extending slot 29a which receives the threaded outstanding pin 30 which projects outwardly from the upstanding flange b of lower frame member 20 as indicated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. A wing nut 30a on the threaded stud serves, when tightened against slotted bar 29, to retain the framed rear wall 21 at a desired outward angle, or for that matter, to maintain it in vertical position. t

As indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, the ray-reflecting attachment is secured to the condenser end 15 of the conditioner unit casing by means of tie rods 26 located at opposite sides and projected through transverse holes adjacent the ends of the top and bottom clamp bars 25, which latter overlie casing portion 15 and the forwardly extending ends 17a, 20c of plate 17 and the bottom flange 20a, respectively. Wing nuts 27 serve to effectively clamp the plate and bar extensions 17a, 20a against the top and bottom of the casing portion 15, the said extensions having sufficient inherent flexibility to admit `of this, as previously noted.

Referring to the modified form of invention shown in Figs. 6 and 7, this form of invention dispenses with rayretlecting walls 21 of Figs. l and 2 at the air intake sides of the condenser end 15 of the conditioner casing. In lieu of side walls, the modification provides a ray-reflecting screen 32 at the rear wall of said casing opposite the usual condenser air discharge openings (not shown) therein; and which screen will project a substantial distance beyond the casing sides, as indicated in Fig. 6.

Thus, referring to Fig. 6, the ray-reflecting screen 32 is carried by the endless frame 31, the upper member of said frame being pivoted at each end, as indicated at 33, to the outwardly offset, rearwardly extending bracket portion 34 which is integral with a top casing top-overlying clamp bar 35 which is shown in Fig. 7.

Cooperating with the top clamp bar 35 in securing the device of Fig. 6 to the casing portion 15 is a lower clamp bar 41. The clamp bars 35, 41 are, or may be, duplicates.

The casing bottom-underlying clamp bar 41 provides at at least one end the rearwardly extending and upwardly and outwardly offset bracket portion 41a. As shown inv Fig. 6, a slotted link 39 is pivoted as at 38 to frame 31 and its slot 38a receives the threaded stud 40v which projects outwardly from bracket portion 41a of theV lower clamp bar 41. A wing nut 4Gb clamping slotted link 39 against bracket portion 41a serves to secure frame 31 in a set position.

The device of Figs. 6 and 7 is secured in place by means of tie rods d2 at each side of the casing portion 15, and which tie rods pass through holes in the end.

portions of the upper and lover clamp bars 35-and 41 to receive clamp nuts 37.

As will be understood, the device of Figs. 1 and 21as well as that of Fig. 6 includes a frame which provides a' and from the condenser.

casing end-receiving socket (see 17a, 20c, 20c, 26, 26 of Figs. l and 2; and 35, 41, 42 of Fig. 6). Such construction assures of firm clamping of the attachment to the conditioner casing.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I effectively protect the condenser and adjacent parts against sun and other heat rays while permittingfree air circulation to It is also evident that all air conditioner and other condensers can be readily equipped with my ray-reflecting screen means so as to materially increase the efhciency of the same.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A sun ray guard for the air passage-providing end of an air cooled condenser casing, said guard comprising a mounting frame providing opposite wall clamp providing members adapted to overlie opposite wall portions of said casing end, a ray intercepting screen for overlying said casing end and opening therein, a carrier frame for said screen and detachably secured to said mounting frame, and clamp member connecting and actuating` means adjacent other opposed walls of said casing end.

2. The structure of claim 1, and said ray-intercepting screen comprising minute, substantially parallel, tixedly spaced and horizontal ray-intercepting and reflecting louver-like panels, means horizontally pivoting said screencarrying frame to said mounting frame whereby to admit of outward shifting of said frame so as to dispose said panels in different appropriate ray-intercepting positions, and screen frame position control means carried by one of said clamp-providing members.

3. A sun ray guard for the air passage-providing and air cooled condensed containing end of a room cooler casing, said guard comprising a frame member providing a socket-like casing end-receiving portion, opposed clamp members incorporated in the socket-like portion of said frame and adapted to extend beyond and overlie opposite wall portions of said casing end, actuating means connecting said clamp members adjacent other opposed walls of said casing end, and ray intercepting and reflecting screen means carried by said frame and overlying the end wall of said casing end.

4. The structure of claim 3, and there being framecarried screen means overlying opposite sides of said casing end adjacent the exposed end wall of said casing end.

5. The structure of claim 3, and a carrier frame for said screen means and pivoted to said socket-providing frame for horizontal swinging movement, means for retaining said carrier frame in different adjusted positions; and said carrier frame and screen means extending beyond the sides of the casing end whereby to intercept rays directed toward the sides of the casing end.

6. In an air conditioner comprising a casing having an air cooled condenser-containing end portion which provides an air passageway for communicating with the condenser, a sunray guard including a socket-defining frame receiving a portion of the length of said casing end portion, said frame comprising a transverse casing topsupported load-carrying plate of a length substantially corresponding to the width of said casing end, the forward area of said plate constituting a longitudinally coextensive casing-overlying clamp portion inwardly of the outer end of said casing, depending and generally U-form frame members rigidly secured adjacent opposite end portions of said plate rearwardly of said clamp portion to overlie the rear end-adjacent casing sides, a sunrayintercepting screen hinged adjacent the rear edge of said plate and overlying the rear casing end and the rear end of said frame, frame-carried screen-adjusting means operatively connected to the latter and operable to hold it in different predetermined positions with respect to said rear casing end, a forwardly extending casing bottom-overlying clamp portion carried by the bight portion of each of said.U-form'frame members and spacedly underlying lthe plate-provided clamp portion, opposed top and bottomV clamp-actuating bars extending beyond opposite sides of said casing end and overlying the respective plate and frame-provided clamp portions, and variable pressureapplying tie means connecting said actuating bars at opposite edges of the casing whereby to rmly and releasably engage said clamp portions with said casing.

7. The structure of claim 6, and wherein the bigllt portion of each U-form frame member is angle form in crosssection to provide a horizontal bottom ange, and wherein the second-mentioned clamp portions are provided in each instance by an extension of one of said bottom flanges.

8. In an air conditioner comprising a casing having an air cooled condenser-containing end portion which provides an air passageway for communication with the condenser, a sunrayguard including a socket-defining frame receiving a portion of the length of said casing end 1portion, said frame comprising a transverse casing top-supported load-carrying plate of a length substantially corresponding to the width of said casing end, the forward area of said plate constituting a longitudinally coextensive casing-overlying clamp portion inwardly of the outer end of said casing, depending and generally U-form frame members rigidly secured adjacent opposite end portions of said plate rearwardly of said clamp portion to overlie the rear end-adjacent casing sides, a sunray-intercepting screen hinged adjacent the rear edge of said plate and overlying the rear casing end and the rear end of said frame, said screen including minute, parallel and spacedly connected louVer-like horizontal panels, frame-carried screen-adjusting means operatively connected to the latter and operable to hold it in diierent predetermined positions with respect to said rear casing end to appropriately position said louver-like panels with respect to sunrays, a forwardly extending casing bottom-overlying clamp portion carried by the bight portion of each of said U-form frame members and spacedly underlying the plate-provided clamp portion, opposed top and bottom clampactuating bars extending beyond opposite sides of said casing end and overlying the respective plate and frameprovided clamp portions, and variable pressure-applying tie means connecting said actuating bars at opposite sides 6 of thecasng whereby to firmly and releasably engage said clamp portions with said casing.

9. The structure of claim 6, and wherein the bight portion of each U-form frame member is angle form in crosssection to provide a horizontal bottom flange, and wherein the second-mentioned clamp portions are provided in each instance by an extension of one of said bottom flanges, and ray-intercepting screen means carried by each of said U-form frame members and the adjacent plate portion rearwardly of said clamp portions.

l0. in an air conditioner comprising a casing having an air cooled condenser-containing end portion which provides an air passageway for communication with the condenser, a sunray guard including a socket-defining frame receiving said casing end portion, said frame comprising a transverse casing top-supported load-carrying clamp bar and a transverse casing bottom-engaging clamp bar, the ends of said clamp bars extending beyond the casing sides, manually operable draw-together tie means connecting related ends of said clamp bars at opposite sides ofthe casing for clamping the frame thereto, a bearing providing ear at each end of the load-supporting clamp bar and offset outwardly of the related casing side, said bearing ears extending longitudinally of said casing and with the bearing portions thereof located beyond the plane of said end thereof, a frame-carried sunrayintercepting and reflecting screen overlying said casing end and projecting beyond the plane of the sides thereof whereby to protect end-adjacent portions of the latter against sunrays, means hingedly connecting the screen frame to said ear bearings for vertical swinging movement, and adjusting and position-retaining means at at least one end of said screen frame and including a portion carried by the adjacent extended end of said secondmentioned clamp bar.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,294,664 Hubbard Sept. 1, 1942 2,359,051 Roper Sept. Z6, 1944 2,370,521 Bourke et al. Feb. 27, 1945 2,545,906 Watkins Mar. 20, 1951 

